Proposed Bridleway Bridges between Codnor Park, Ironville and Jacksdale
Public meetings were held in Jacksdale and Ironville in September 2015 to
canvass local opinion on the bridge designs that have been produced by a working
group of local councils and organisations. To date, 169 respondents completed a
questionnaire and 98% of respondents supported the principle of a bridge scheme,
with associated routes. Draft designs of both the bridges and connecting trails
were also well received, although concerns regarding costs, and also motorbikes
accessing the trails were expressed.
Additionally there have been 284 responses to the recent online questionnaire
on the Derbyshire County Council web site with 99% in favour.
Spurred on by local support, the working group has turned its attention to
fundraising. These are certainly
economically challenging times, with a Central Government funding gap for
walking/cycling/horseriding infrastructure projects.
However, some interest has been received from the
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Although the cost of the new bridges cannot
be covered, the HLF recognise the heritage value of the bridge site and the
considerable local support. A preliminary bid to the ‘Our Heritage Fund’ is a
possibility, which will involve the local community in investigating the remains
of previous bridges on the site which will inform the detailed bridge design,
provide essential information for a planning application and build the
reputation of the Project. Simultaneously, Derbyshire County Council will
continue to work with local landowners to acquire public rights to secure the
route between the two villages, and progress design work.
For an article (March2016) on the project giving further information click Here.
For most recent update (October 2018) Please click HERE.
Below is short recap of the Lawn Bridge Project to date:
Linking Communities - The Lawn Bridge Project
In 2012 residents in Jacksdale and Codnor Park, Ironville
joined forces to start a petition calling for the much-needed link across the
Cromford Canal, known locally as the “old iron bridge”. The two
communities have been isolated from each other since September 1997, when a
previous bridge built in 1943 by the Butterley Company was demolished.
JACHS (Jacksdale Area Culture & Heritage) have unearthed many
previously unknown pieces of historical information regarding the development of
early railways in the area through their Portland Path Project. It was felt that
the time is now right to recognise the importance and significance of
re-instating this bridge from a historical sense, as well as the social,
economic and vital community link it would provide.
The link will provide benefits for Codnor Park, Ironville in
terms of accessing essential services such as Chemists, Doctor’s, Dentist’s and
other important services. Many Codnor Park,
Ironville residents will also have easy access to the Bus routes via Jacksdale.
At the same time the residents from Jacksdale will again have access to the
wonderful walks and open spaces of Codnor Park including the medieval Codnor
Castle. The bridge would be good for the environment as countless car
journeys would be avoided.
The
idea behind the project is not only to provide an appropriate bridge or bridges
but to develop a complete Greenway Route on both sides of the canal
to meet the needs of everyone whether on foot, in invalid carriages, on bicycles
or on horseback.
More than 1,100 people locally signed a petition calling for
a bridge to be built. The petition was presented to Derbyshire County Council
via Cllr Paul Smith during July 2012. As a result a working party was
duly formed to move the project forward. Cllr Smith is Chair of the working
party. The working party had its first meeting in July 2013 and has
now had seven successful meetings. The working party is made up of Local
Councillors and Officers from both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, also
represented are Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts, Friends of Cromford Canal and local residents.
At the meeting on 6th March 2014, Derbyshire County
Councillor Paul Smith informed the meeting that £50,000 design money would be
made available to “kick start” the project, a further £100,000 should be coming
into the project in the next month.
On the Nottinghamshire side of the canal Ashfield District
Council will also be make a contribution towards the project.
Engineers have now made numerous site visits and have
produced plans for the project. In addition greenway routes have been planned
for on each side of the canal. A Heritage Scoping Study has
also been completed. It is planned to have public consultations in
September, for the communities on each side of the canal. These
consultations will discuss all aspects of the project and all the options that
are available. After that planning consent will be sort from Derbyshire
County Council before bidding for funding.
The plan now is to have two bridges rather than one (see
simplified diagram below), to continue the approach in an almost straight line
off the bridge, and provide a second bridge across the River Erewash to join up
with the old tramway embankment. This will create much more direct route
into Jacksdale and vice versa. However, the principal reason for having
two bridges is that with the one bridge option land levels would have to be
considerably changed, adding significantly to the cost.
Here are the latest bridge Plans (Early 2015):
To see the above plans in more detail, please click HERE
Displayed below is all the information that appeared on this web page prior to April 2015.
The planners allowed a large development and expansion to take
place in Codnor Park, without putting in the necessary infrastructure.
Issue 1 - Non existent local Bus Service
The village is without a bus service within reasonable walking
distance. There have been many new homes built in recent years, especially lots
of bungalows, now occupied mainly by older people. There is now quite an
enlarged community which should have a bus service, so that local residents who
are reliant on bus transport are not cut off from work, shops, doctors,
hospitals etc. There is a suitable Bus Stop at Cinder Bank, but this is only
used by school buses, (Double Deckers). When Bullock Lane was closed for
repairs to the railway bridge, buses came down the Coach Road and some stopped
at the Cinder Bank Bus Stop, so such a service is surely quite feasible.
A public meeting was held in
Ironville Church Hall on Wednesday 29th
August to discuss Community
Transport in relation to Ironville & Codnor Park. It was felt essential that the
village should be informed of the services available as many local people could
benefit significantly.
Community Transport schemes in Derbyshire provide
door-to-door transport for both individuals who have problems accessing public
transport, either because of impaired mobility or lack of services in rural
areas and for groups involved in community activities.
The vehicles range from small people-carriers to larger buses
and they are all wheelchair-accessible and have steps for those people with
limited mobility- There is always a trained driver to give assistance when
needed. Here are some typical Community Transport services:
Dial-a-Bus
·
A home to town service providing an opportunity
for people to do their shopping either in town or at a supermarket. Passenger
assistants may be available.
·
A pre-bookable, regular service for people with
mobility problems or lack of public transport in their village.
·
Gold Cards can be used, otherwise fares are at a
similar rate to the fares paid on mainstream bus services.
Group Travel
·
Available to groups involved in community
activities, such as Church, Scouts, Girl Guides, Women's Institutes and lunch
groups, for local joumeys and days out. Also available for statutory
organisations such as schools and NHS health centres and hospitals.
·
Pre-bookable at an affordable rate.
ACTIVE travel
Subsidised by Derbyshire County Council and NHS Derbyshire
County
Dial-a-Ride
·
Wheelchair-accessible vehicle for people with
mobility problems needing a more personal transport service to get to
appointments, hospital visits, etc.
·
Pre-bookable and affordable rates.
Community Car Scheme
·
Volunteers use their own cars to provide
essential joumeys and are paid for their mileage.
·
Currently operated by Chesterfield & District,
Amber Valley and Bakewell & Eyam Community Transport Schemes.
For Further details telephone
Community Transport for Town & Country: 01773 746652
Dial-A-Bus Service Area 6B to
Alfreton
Operating weekly from Codnor
Park / Ironville / Golden Valley / Newland / Riddings/ Pinxton
This is a WEEKLY Friday service
to Alfreton or Tesco Supermarket
In for 11.00 a.m. – 1.00p.m.
Transport available for anyone
unable to use public transport through isolation*, age or disability.
(i.e. where there is no local bus service).
£2 return fare for Gold Card
users.
Please telephone 01773 746652 to
book a seat.
Dial-A-Bus Service Mansfied Y
Operating
every third week from Codnor Park / Ironville / Golden Valley / Newland /
Riddings/ Pinxton /Somercotes
Transport available for anyone
unable to use public transport through isolation*, age or disability.
(i.e. where there is no local bus service).
£2 return fare for Gold Card
users.
Please telephone 01773 746652 to
book a seat.
So far the two key responses to our petition are:
Anthony Crompton (Senior Project Officer Local Bus Network, Derbys. County
Council) said:
“Unfortunately the roads in and around Codnor Park are not suitable for the
provision of a scheduled local bus service. A more appropriate solution would
therefore be through community transport which operates smaller vehicles
suitable for estate roads.”
Elaine Wachlarz
(Senior Transport Officer (Community), Derbys County Council) said:
“Personally I would suggest we advertise the existing services
(Community Transport) and if there proves
to be a huge demand in the Codnor Park & Ironville area I will work with Amber
Valley CT to look at providing more.”
A very good editorial in the link above, illustrating very
good journalism!
Issue 2 - Bridge over the canal to Jacksdale
We would
like the appropriate Local Authorities to restore the promised and much needed
link over the canal between Codnor Park and Jacksdale for the residents of all
communities.
The link will provide benefits for all in terms of accessing essential services
such as Chemists, Doctor’s, Dentist’s and other important services.
There would also be easy access to the Bus routes that pass through
Jacksdale to Ripley, Alfreton, Mansfield and Nottingham. In addition there is a
good sized park even closer, just over the canal and a nice Garden Centre just
up the road. The
bridge would be good for the environment as countless car journeys would be
avoided.
Codnor
Park Action Group made contact with a group in Jacksdale.
Jacksdale and Codnor Park residents are now working together to bring their two
communities closer together - quite literally, by seeking to re-instate an
ancient bridle path bridge (known locally as the 'old iron bridge') across the
Cromford Canal. Ten feet of water
have prevented many residents from Codnor Park accessing the facilities in
Jacksdale, which are
just a couple of hundred yards from their door step and residents from Jacksdale
are prevented from accessing the wonderful walks and open spaces of Codnor Park.
It is an absolute travesty that these two communities cannot share each
others facilities when they are so close and yet so far apart, all because of
the lack of a bridge, a bridge so controversially removed on 'safety' grounds
without ever being replaced. It is
the duty of a Council to maintain the Right's of Way, which in this case they
have not done. The current path is
inadequate, poorly maintained, dangerous and its condition completely unknown.
It is totally unsuitable, in the wrong place and the residents of these
two communities deserve better. The
Codnor Park Ironworks have gone and the open casting is finished. Now give us
back our Right of Way and rebuild Lawn Bridge.
The Petitions were presented to the County Council by Cllr. Paul Smith to the Cabinet Member Highways & Transport at the meeting on 7th August 2012. The County Strategic Director – Environmental Services has now investigated the issues that we have raised. He produced a report for the meeting on 16th October 2012, (see below). A copy of the report can be found on this link:
Groundwork Derby were initially steering
the working party looking
into the reinstatement of the bridge, this is now Groundwork Cresswell,
Ashfield and Mansfield. Gary Wain (Environmental Sustainability
Coordinator) was initially nominated by Groundwork to take over the project. He
organised the first meeting to take the project forward (see below). Gary has walked the
route related to the bridge and is very impressed with the project.
The latest news can be found in these two
documents and below.
Derbyshire County Council have now pledged £50,000 to the project (April 2014) and Ashfield District Council has said it can allocate up to £16,000. Derbyshire County Council engineers have now visited the site with a view of giving initial thoughts on feasibility of bridge provision. When initial scoping has been completed it is planned to have public consultations later this year, for the communities on each side of the canal. These consultations will discuss all aspects of the project and all the options that are available. For more details please see the newspaper articles on these links and thumbnails below:
http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk/news/local/boost-for-bid-to-restore-bridge-1-6569311
Feasibility plans have now been produced for potential bridges relating to this project. The plans were tabled at a meeting of the Lawn Bridge Working Party on 18th September 2014. Good progress continues to be made.
At a meeting of Cabinet Member - Highways and Transport on 16th October 2012 the petition Jacksdale to Codnor Park request for reinstatement of the bridge over the Cromford Canal was discussed:
Basically the County Council are
currently unable to fund the project due to the current economic climate.
However,
the County
Council fully support local aspirations for a bridge.
They have pledged to provide the project with an
expert officer to help come up with a feasible design, as well as helping in the
bid for funding.
“The Council remains committed to constructing a link
between the two communities and, therefore, the situation will be reviewed in
the future. Should
funding from other sources become available then similarly, a review of the
project will be undertaken and examine whether resources are available.”
“A scheme developed by Ashfield and Amber Valley was drawn
up a number of years ago and the design and costings did not meet with
Derbyshire County Council approval resulting in the scheme being shelved and the
funding being lost.
Amber Valley Borough Council have now allocated
groundwork hours to take the project forward and links are being formed with
Nottinghamshire County Council and Ashfield to create a working group to support
the community’s ambitions. This committee has appropriate officer support this
time around and therefore has every chance of success.”
Martyn Taylor-Cockayne, chairman of
the Jacksdale Heritage Group, said he was
"disappointed"
the county council's decision not to fund the project but
"pleased"
it would provide an officer.
He said:
"Their decision to
make an officer available in any future bid is the most pleasing of all and
their positive commitment to the project is also to be welcomed.”
Paul Smith our local County Councillor has been very supportive in our campaign
for the bridge. There is a statement from him in the report, the key sentence
being:
“I believe it is important for Derbyshire County Council even if they cannot
commit funds at this time they are at least involved in the development and
bidding process in a supporting role and also for them to be seen to be giving a
commitment which helps secure external funding by giving an undertaking to adopt
and maintain the bridge in the future which can be included in the external
bidding process.
Officer support can be as and when required to make sure the process is right.”
At the meeting the county council's highways chief, Councillor Simon Spencer, pledged to provide the project with an expert officer to help come up with a feasible design, as well as help to bid for funding.
Total for signatures collected:
Bridge Petition
Codnor Park Action Group – 539
Jacksdale Group: 582 (including
125 on the e- petition)
Making a total of 1,121
signatures for the bridge.
Bus Petition
(Local Bus Service for Codnor Park).
504
Both demonstrate real local needs.
Thank you to *Ironville Post Office and Codnor Park & Ironville Social Club for holding our petitions during the collection period.
*We are very lucky to have in Ironville our own Post Office and General Store at the centre of our community. The store not only provides a top class postal service, but also newspapers, magazines and most general household needs.
If you have not already done so - perhaps you would consider signing our e-petition to bring back the Codnor Park & Ironville Bridge. You can visit the e-petition below:-
All above photographs: ©
Martyn Taylor-Cockayne 2012
PLEASE NOTE: This web page is NOT an official page, it is left online for information purposes only. It may be updated as the project develops in its new phase.